US2001881A - Retort clean-out machine - Google Patents

Description

May 21, 1935. H, R. MacMlcHAEL RETORT CLEAN-OUT MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 29, 1952 wkhukhi ATTORNEYS May 21, 1935.

H. R. MaCMlCHAEL RETORT CLEAN-OUT MACHINE Filed July 29, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS May 21, 1935. H. R. MaCMiCHAEL 2,001,881

RETORT CLEANOUT MACHINE Filed July 29, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 will,

. A INVENTOR @ggf/z Z? afzafl @,ZQA g ATTORNEYS May 2l, 1935. H. R. MacMlcHAEL. 2,001,881

RETORT CLEAN-OUT MACHINE Filed July 29, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR ATTORN EYS May 21, 1935- H. R. MacMlcHAEl. 2,001,881

RETORT CLEAN-OUT MACHINE Filed July 29, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 1H/gaf ATTORNEYS May 21, 1935 H. R. MacMlcHAEL 2,001,881

RETORT CLEAN- OUT MACHINE Filed July 29, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Mm n N b .1 INVENTOR $10 Zffq/Vardf/ man ATTQRNEYS Patented May 2.1, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENTN OFFICE RETORT CLEAN -OUT MACHINE Application July 29, 1932,A Serial No. 625,736

7 Claims. (Cl. 214-24) The invention relates to apparatus for operating upon furnaces and the like, and more particularly to apparatus for cleaning zinc furnaces.

According to one form which the invention may assume, the apparatus may comprise a carriage adapted to move along the frontof a zinc furnace and carrying tools for operating upon the several retorts of the furnace. The carriage may support an elevator device, which in turn malys support a carrier which carries the several too Suitable means may be provided for driving the carriage back and forth along the front of the furnace. Additional apparatus may be provided for raising the elevator device up and down and further apparatus may be provided for driving the carrier toward and away from the furnace so that the several tools may enter the various retorts for operating thereupon. All of these driving apparatus may be under the control of a single operator, if desired.

Although different tools may be used, for purposes of illustration, a drag tool is taken having a substantially vertical blade with a curved lower edge and mounted upon the end of a long shaft, the other end of which is mounted on the carrier by suitable spring devices. If desired, suitable cooling means may be provided for cooling the tools and shafts. If desired, the mechanism for raising and lowering the elevator device and for moving the carrier toward and away from the furnace may be hydraulically operated. Water pressure may be supplied by a suitable centrifugal pump operated by avmotor on the machine.

The invention also consists in certain new and original features of construction and combimtions of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention will be particularlypointed out in the claims appended hereto, the invention itself, as to its objects and advantages, and the manner in which it may be carried out, may be better understood by referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, in which Fig. 1 is a Vertical elevation illustrating the relation of the clean-out machine and the zinc retort furnace;

Fig. 2 represents an end elevation taken on section 3-3 of Fig. 2 of the machine;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation;

Fig. 4 represents a section on the line 4--4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the machine;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic perspective illustrating the hydraulic rope operating mechanism;

Fig. 8 is a detail with parts broken away show- 5 ing the mounting of the tools on the carrier;

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of the carrier;

Fig. 10 is a section on the line Ill- I0 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is aperspective illustrating the construction of the elevator device; and l0 Figs. 12 and 13 illustrate two of the valves employed for controlling the operation of the machine.

In the following description and in the claims, various details will be identified by specific names 15 for convenience, but they are intended to be as generic in their application as the art will permit.

Like reference characters denote like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

In the drawings accompanying and forming 20 part of this specification, certain specic disclosure of the invention is made for purposes of explanation, but it will be understood that the de tails may be modified in various respects without departure from the broad aspect of the invention. 25

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Fig. 1, the zinc retort furnace used for purpose of illustration is indicated by I0 and contains a plurality of vertical rows or tiers of retorts indicated by Il. It will be noted that 30 the retorts I I areslightly inclined, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. This furnace may be of any desired construction.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3, a pair of track rails 23 may be disposed along the front of the 35 furnace I0 to support a carriage 20 resting upon a pair of I-beams 2l which are supported by four wheels 22 riding on the rails 23.

'I'he carriage 20 is made up of suitable structural members, the lower frame members being 40 indicated by 30, these members supporting opposite inclined frame members, indicated by 3l, which in turn support upper frame members, indicated by 32. The inclined members 3| support an intermediate platform, indicated by |32, 45 which supports the hydraulic and rope mechanisms for operating the carrier 25. The carriage frame 20 also supports a tall vertical tank 33 for holding the water for cooling the tools and for operating the hydraulic mechanism. 50

vertically mounted on the frame 20 is an elevator device 24 (Fig. 11) having vertical guide columns 3l and horizontal frame members 35 connecting the vertical columns 34. The inclinedtrack member 36 on which the carrier 25 55 rides also connects the vertical columns 34. The vertical guides 34 slidably fit guides |34 on the carriage frame 20, as illustrated best in Fig. 6.

Mounted on the inclined track 36 is a carrier 25 which supports the cleaning tools 26. As shown best in Figs. 1, 3, 8, 9 and 10, carrier 25 is made up of suitable structural members, at the upper ends of which are disposed two side plates 40 connected by connecting members 4I (Figs. 8, 9 and 10). In these side plates 40 are jour.- nalled four ordinary anged wheels riding on the lower iianges of the inclined I-beam track member 36. The wheels 31 also engage rails 38 at the upper sides thereof, these rails being connected to the I-beam 36 by member 39. This construction gives stability to the carrier and prevents undue swaying thereof.

The carrier 25 has mounted thereon enough tools for operating upon a single vertical tier of retorts Il, four being shown for purposes of illustration. As shown best in Figs. 4 and 8, the tools 26, which are similar to drag tools, comprise substantially vertical flanges 42 having curved lower edges. These anges are suitably welded or otherwise secured to outer tubular shafts 43 slidably mounted in xed holders 44 and in spring holders 45. Springs 46 are provided for taking up bumps lengthwise of the tool in case the tool accidently engages the end of a retort. rIhe springs of holders 35 take up the up and down bumps and resiliently support the tools so that the weight of the tools iirmly hold the :flanges :l2 thereof against the bottoms of the retorts for efflcient cleaning and scraping.

For cooling the tools, inner pipes B3 are provided, spaced from the hollow shafts B3 and extending substantially the entire length thereof,

-these pipes being connected to feed branch pipes 50, passing through fittings '31 connected in the length of shaft 43. Branch outlet pipes'ft are connected to the fittings i? for leading away the heated cooling water. It will be understood that the branch supply pipes 53 are fed from the discharge of the pump and the branch outlet pipes 118 lead to the coohng tank 33, as will be explained hereinafter more in detail.

For driving the carrier 25 back and forth along the track 36 to cause the tools to enter into and pass out of the retorts, suitable hydraulic and rope mechanisms, shown best in Figs. 3 and 7, are provided.

Mounted upon the platform 132 is a. hydraulic cylinder 55 containing a piston 56 connected to a piston rod 51 which in turn is connected 'to cross head 58. Cross head 58 is suitably guided on the platform |32 and rotatably supports sets of cross head sheaves 53 and 60. It will be noted that the carrier drive mechanism is not mounted upon the elevator 24, but is mounted directly on the frame 20 of the carriage. This is permissible since the movement oi the elevator is quite small and it is desirable not to have to raise and lower this additional operating mech- If desired, this operating mechanism may, of course, be mounted drectly on the elevator device 24.

For moving the carrier 25 toward the furnace, xed sheaves 66, cooperating with the set of movable sheaves 63, are provided. The rope 51 passes around the sheaves 50 and 66 and is xed at one end to the carrier 25 at 68, and at the other end to the frame at 69. In order to avoid too great a tension on the rope 61, the rope is passed over a safety pulley 1I, and over a fixed pulley 10. Safety pulley 1I is mounted on a cross head 12 which slides between ways 13. Tension is maintained in the rope 61 by a counterweight 16 connected to the cross head 12 by rope 89 and passing over fixed pulleys 15. A movable electric contact 11 is carried by cross head 12 adapted to contact with a fixed electrical contact 18 if excessive tension in rope 31 is obtained, the engagement of these contacts' operating the circuit breaker of the motor which drives the centrifugal pump supplying the cylinder 55, as will be explained hereinafter more in detail.

For withdrawing the tools out of the furnace, a movable set of sheaves 59 and fixed sheaves 3l are provided, over which rope 32 passes, the ends of this rope being secured to carrier 25 at 64 and to the frame member l32 at 65.

It will be noted that 'suicient plies of rope for both movements of the carrier are provided so that a small movement of piston 56 will cause an increased movement in the carrier 25. In the form shown six plies are used for each movement, resulting in six times as great amovement for the carrier 25 as for the piston 56.

For driving the elevator device 2d, water cylinder 30 (Fig. 3) is provided, mounted upon the upper members 32 of the carriage frame. Cylinder 33 contains piston 3l connected to piston rod 32 which operates upon a suitable cross head guide 33. Connected to piston 82 are ropes @il and 85, rope 33 passing over fixed pulley 36 and being connected to the elevator frame at 3l, rope 35 passing over fixed pulleys 83 and H39 and being connected to the elevator frame at 33.

For driving the machine along the tracks 23, an electric carriage motor m3 (Figs. l and 2) is provided. This motor drives a gear reducer iti which drives a sprocket 102, which in turn drives a sprocket 33 mounted on one of the Wheel shafts through chain 234.

For supplying the coohng water and hydraulic water for operating the cylinders, above described, a second electric motor i3d is mounted on the frame of the carriage 20 driving centrifugal pump S05 (Fig. 3). Inlet 86 (Fig. 2) is provided from tank 33 to pump H35. Discharge 01 from pump |35 leads to the top of the machine from which iiexible conduit W8 leads to the carrier 25 where it is connected to manifold 238 to which the exible branch supply conduits 50 are connected. The discharge from the exible branches I3 leads to a manifold similar to 238, which in turn is connected by a iiexible conduit E09 to the spray lill (Figs. 1 and 2) which returns the heated water to the tank 33 for coohng. Y

If desired, all the controls of the various operations are centered on one control board, indicated by 203 (Fig. 2). On this board may be provided suitable controls, indicated by Ill and H2, for motors 00 and |03. Also suitable valves H3 and H4 may be provided for operating cylinders 55 and 80. The control of carrier drive cyhnder 55 is by valve H3 (Fig. 13). This valve may be an ordinary four-way valve having conduit l I6 leading to the discharge of pump E05 and having conduit H1 leading either to the tank 33 or to the inlet of the pump. Conduit 2 I4 leads to one end of the cylinder 55 and conduit 2 l 5 leads to the other end of the cylinder. 'I'hus by operating the valve H3, water pressure may be applied to either end of the cylinder 55 and at the same time' exhaust is applied to the other end.

Control of the elevator cylinder is by valve ||4 (Fig. 12). 'I'his valve may be an ordinary three-way valve, conduit ||8 leading to the cylinder 8|, conduit I9 leading to the discharge side of pump and conduit |20 leading either to tank 33 or to the inle't of pump |05. Thus by the operation of valve ||4, pressure may be applied to the cylinder 80 for raising the elevator device 24 or exhaust may be connected to the cylinder 80 for permitting the elevator device 84 to drop by its own weight.

For operating the machine, the operator will move the entire machine along the front of the furnace to get the tools in line with a vertical tier of retorts. The elevator device will then be raised and the carrier operated to feed the tools into the retorts over the residue and slag indicated for example by I2 in Fig. 1 This tool may be moved to any intermediate point within the'retort or to the inner end thereof, when the elevator will be lowered, causing the tool to yieldably, but forcibly engage the bottom of the retort. Movement of the carrier in the opposite direction will then move the tool outwardly, scraping the bottom of the retort and pulling the material along with it. As above stated, the tool 26 is a modified form of drag tool but, if desired, other tools may be substituted therefor. The water circulation through these tools prevents destruction thereof under the intense heat and scorifying atmosphere.

An advantage of the present machine is that the tool may be fed into any point and the stroke of the tool may be of any length. 'I'he tool may pull out both slag and residue, and if material sticks at any point, the tool may be repeatedly moved over that point to free the material.

The flexible mounting of the tools on the carrier permits a forceful engagement between the tool and the retort and the tool continues to engag'e the retort even if the retort sags. It has been found that the drag tool alone is very effective when power is put behind it and ordinarily it would not be necessary to substitute other tools, such as, chisels and water lances.

If desired, an additional number of tools may be added for operating a greater number of retorts at the same time. For instance, a second tier of tools may be mounted alongside of the tier shown.

The construction of the machine is such that the parts will stand up under the high temperature and dusty atmospheres met in practice. The working parts of the operating cylinders are protected from dust and heat. The wire ropes used for operating the elevator device and carrier will stand up for long periods. If desired, cooling devices other than the spray and tank shown, such as, for instance, a radiator type of cooling device 1 may be used.

While certain novel features of the invention have been disclosed and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

What is claimed is:

l. In apparatus for cleaning furnaces and the like, a tool, a carrier therefor, a support for said carrier, operating mechanism for moving said carrier toward and away from said furnace, said operating mechanism comprising a hydraulic cylinder having a piston and rod, a cross head connected lto said rod, rst and second sets of sheaves on said cross head, first and second sets of fixed sheaves, rst and second ropes passing around the respective xed and movable sheaves of each set, each rope being connected at one end to said support and at the other end to said carrier for driving said carrier back and forth, said first rope having a safety mechanism comprising a movable pulley over which said rst rope passes, a guide for said pulley, a counterweight for holding said pulley against the tension of said first rope, contacts engageable by excessive movement of said pulley, a hydraulic pump for supplying operating pressure to said cylinder, and a motor driving said pump controlled by said contacts.

2. In an apparatus for cleaning furnaces and the like, a tool, a carrier therefor, a support for said carrier, 'operating mechanism for said carrier comprising a set of sheaves, a rope on said sheaves and connected to said carrier and support, a cylinder and piston arrangement operating between said sheaves, a safety mechanism comprising a movable pulley over' which the rope passes, a guide for said pulley, a counterpoise for holding said pulley against the tension of said rope and safety means operable by excessive movement of said pulley for controlling said operating mechanism.

3.` In a cleaning mechanism, a bank of retorts arranged in substantially vertical tiers, a trackway extending along the front of said retorts, a carriage framework comprising a base member, means for supporting said base member for movement along said'trackway, vertical side members supported by said base member, said side members being disposed on opposite sides of the trackway, guide members supported by said side members,an elevator comprising vertical slide members cooperating with said guide members, and also comprising a track member substantially parallel to said retorts, a carrier supported and riding on said track member, a plurality of drag tools arranged in a vertical tier forcleaning an entire vertical tier of retorts, there being one tool for each retort of the vertical tier, means for supporting said tools on said carrier, power devices located on said elevator for driving said carrier from one side member to the other to cause tools to enter and leave said retorts, power devices located on said carriage framework for imparting a limited vertical movement to said elevator and stop devices defining the upper and lower limiting positions of said elevator whereby the lower position of said drag tools causes them to rest on the bottom surface of their respective retorts, and the upper position of said drag tools is in line with the free space above the charge in the same retorts.

4. In a cleaning mechanism, a bank of retorts arranged in substantially vertical tiers, a trackway extending along said retorts, a carriage having wheels rollable along said trackway, guide members on said carriage, an elevator comprising vertical slide members cooperating with said guide members, and also comprising a track member substantially parallel to said retorts, a carrier riding on said track member, a plurality of vertically arranged drag tools for cleaning an entire vertical tier of retorts, there being one tool for each retort of the vertical tier, means for supporting said tools on said carrier, means for driving said carrier to cause said tools to enter and leave said retorts, independent means for imparting a limited vertical movement to said elevator, and stop devices defining the upper and lower limiting positions of said elevator whereby the lower position of said drag tools causes them to rest on the bottom surface of their respective retorts, and the upper position of said drag tools is in line with the free space above the charge in the same retorts.

5. In a cleaning mechanism, a bank of retorts arranged in substantially vertical tiers, a trackway extending along the front of said retorts, a carriage framework comprising a base member, means for supporting said base member for movement along said trackway, inverted V-members supported by said base member, said V-members being disposed on opposite sides of the trackway, one of said V-members being disposed in proximity to the bank of retorts, guide members supported by said V-members, an elevator comprising vertical slide members cooperating with said guide members, and also comprising an inclined track member substantially parallel -to said retorts, a carrier suspended from and riding lon said track member, a plurality of drag toolsf arranged in a vertical tier for cleaning an entire vertical tier of retorts, there being one tool for each retort of the Vertical tier, means for supporting said tools exclusively from the ends thereof on said carrier, power devices located on said elevator for driving said carrier from one V- member to the other to cause said drag tools to enter and leave said retorts, power devices located on the top of said carriage framework for imparting a limited vertical movement to said elevator, said power device having stops whereby the lower position of said drag tools causes themA to rest on the bottom surface of their respective retorts, and the upper position of said drag tools is in line with the free space above the charge in the same retorts.

6. In a cleaning mechanism, a substantially horizontal retort, a cleaning mechanism comprising a carrier, a tool substantially stationary with respect to said carrier, said tool comprisinga long shaft having a transverse blade on its projecting end, means for mounting said shaft on'said carrier at one end of the shaft only, whereby the tool projects as a cantilever from said carrier, spring devices between said tool and said carrier to permit said tool to yield in case it engages an obstruction, means for imparting a limited vertical movement to said carrier, means to move said carrier toward and away from said retort to cause said tool to enter and leave said retort, and stop devices dening the upper and lower limiting positions of said carrier whereby the lower position of said tool causes it to rest on the bottom surface of its retort and the upper position of said tool is in line with the free space above the charge in said retort.

7. In a cleaning mechanism, a bank of retorts arranged in substantially vertical tiers, a cleaning mechanism comprising a carrier, a plurality of drag tools arranged in a vertical tier for cleaning an entirely vertical tier of retorts, there being one tool for each retort of the vertical tier, said tools being substantially stationary with respect to said carrier, said tools each comprising a long shaft having a transverse blade on its projecting end, means for mounting said shafts on Asaid carrier. at one end of the shafts only, whereby the tools project as cantilevers from said carrier, spring devices between said tools and said carrier to permit said tools to yield lengthwise and vertically in case they engage an obstruction, means for imparting a limited vertical movement to said carrier, means to move said carrier toward and away from said retorts to cause said tools to enter and leave said retorts, and stop devices defining the upper and lower limiting positions of said carrier whereby the lower position of said tools causes them to rest on the bottom surface of their respective retorts and the upper position of said tools is in line with the free space above the charge in the same retorts.

HUGH R. MACMICHAEL.

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